Spinning-die



i3 ,Y f

(No' Model.)

' P. J. KI'LLEEN, Jr. 8u P. E. BIRMINGHAM.

SPINNING DIE. Y

' Patented Deo. 2.2, 1891.

@Q7/@fw l 4 UNITED STAT-Es' PETER J. KILIJEEN, JR? VAND PATRICK II. BIRMINGHAM, OF HARTFORD PATENT Ormea,

1 CONNECTICUT.

SPINNING-DIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,578, dated December 22, 1891.

Application filed May 22,1891.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that We, PETER J. KILLEEN, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, and PATRICK Il. BIRMINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and-State of i Connecticut, have invented certain new and; useful Improvements in Spinning-Dice, of:

1 uncertainty as to the position in which the which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements iny the dies or dice used for determining questions by chance, the object being to provide a die adapted for use by spinning instead of by shaking in a dice-box, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of our improved spinning-die. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the die. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a central sectional View of the die. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the die, it being shown lying on one of its sides. Figs. 6 to 20, inclusive, are diagrammatic views illustrative of the various uses of the die.

Our improved spinning-die consists of a central shaft or stem 2, sharpened or pointed at the lower end thereof, as at 3, after the manner of a spinning-top, an upper ange or disk` F, which we denominate the runningrim, and which is concentric to the axis of rotation of the die, and a solid part or body, as 5, having the depending sides 6, 7, S, and E). The lower edges of said vsides or faces 6, 7, 8, and 9 constitute a polygonal flange or rim, which we denominate the stop-rim, and designate in a general way by the letter N, and which consists of the several edges C', 7', 8', and 9', respectively. The solid part or body C, together with the depending sides thereof, constitute the body of the die, also called the top-body, from its resemblance to the body of a spinning-top.

In using the die the player takes it in hand by the stem Zand spins it on the stem-point 3 thereof in the well-known manner of spinning a top. When the die, owing to the expending of its momentum, nears the end of its spinning, it leans over toward one side, the lower stop-rim of the die strikes the table or Serial lilo. 393,680. (No model.)

board on which saiddie is spinning, thus -quiclly checking the spinning, and the die fallsv over and runs about on the running-rim 4 and the said stop-rim N until finally the die stops on one of said rim-edges, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The stop-rim N being polygonal, and also extending below the plane of the center of gravity'of the die, (indicated approximately by the line e e, Fig. 4,) there is great die will come to rest.

For the purpose of adapting our newly-invented spinning-die for use in various kinds of amusements, we make it with a suitable interrogatory7 and with some answers thereto. Insome cases the interrogatory is understood from the die itself, and hence is not expressed thereon. v

The interrogatory whenlexpressed is preferably placed on the top of the die, as in Figs. l, l0, l5, and 20, while on the several facets of the die are a series of answers corresponding to the interrogatory. The character of the answers and their mode 0f expression should, of course, depend upon the particular amusement or game for which the die is to beA used, For instance, for amusement during seasons of political activity, where opposing candidates are nominated for election to apublic office the interrogatory may consist of the words, Who is elected t or Vhich wins i and the answers on the die-facets consist of the proper names, initials, or nicknames, or the portraits or other indicative representations of the candidates. There being usually opp0sing candidatesin nomination, we place the indicative representations referring to the respective nominees alternately on the successive facets to thereby increase the uncertainty of the answer, and thusincrease the interest of `the users ofthe toy. This use of our spinningdie is illustrated by Figs. 6 to l0, inclusive, the interrogatory, Vho is elected i being expressed and placed on the top of the die shown in plan view in Fig.. 10, while the several candidates are appropriately designated on the respective facets 6, 7, 8, and 9 shown in Figs. G to 9, respectively. On spinning the die the name uppermost when the die comes to rest is supposed to be elected In the case illustrated the nominees, Sam Brown IOO and Tom Jones,7 are supposed to be of one party, while John Smith an l Dick Small are of the opposing party. By this plan the answers are not only opposing answers, but are also placed in alternating succession on the facets of the die.

For use in playing games with cards the several answers are made appropriate to the particular game in which the die is to be used. In Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, the characters P, N, T, and A are placed on the several facets G, 7, 8, and 9, respectively, and are indicative of Put in one, None, Take one, and All won, these being the directions (in the form of answers to the query, iVhich Winsi7 in the plan view, Fig. 15) to the successive players, as indicated by the turning of the die.

For instance, suppose four players to be playing and each to have six cards, the balance of the pack beingI on the table. The game being started by each player drawing one from his hand and putting it into the pile, the

die is spun by the first player, and stops, let.

us suppose, at P, indicating Put in one. Thereupon the first player takes one from his hand and puts it into the pile. The second player neXt spins the die, which, let us suppose, stops at N, which indicates None, indicating that the play -is a blank The third player next spins the die, which, if it stops at T, indicates Take one, whereupon he draws one card from the pile and puts it into his own hand. Next, the fourth player spins the die, which we will suppose stops at A, indicating All won,7 thus entitling the player to take the pile into his own hand. After this more cards may be dealt out from the pack to each player, or the game proceed by other Ways.

For playing whist, we make the spinningdie with the interrogatory (expressed or understood) lVhat is the trump (see Fig. 20,) and on the die-facets ,6, '7, 8, and 9 place the several possible answers Spadesf Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds, respectively, each suitably named or symbolized. This may be done as illustrated, for instance, in Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, where the several.

kinds of cards are designated by their indicative figure; or the names of the cards Spades, .Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds may be placed on the several diefacets, respectively, instead of the figures aforesaid. In the drawings,theblaek figures spades and clubs designated by 10 and 12, are placed in alternating succession with the red figures hearts and diamonds, Which are designated by 11 and 16, respectively.

The manner of playing whist by the aid of our spinning-die is or may be as follows: All of the cards being dealt out, as usual, but without determining the trump, one of the players spins the die, and the side stopping uppermost is taken to indicate the trump. Inl practice, the spinning of the die for one play may be done by the player who dealt at the next previous play.; or, the one about to deal may spin the die, as may be agreed by the players.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. In a spinning-die, the combination, with the top body and stem, of the circular running-rim above the plane of the center ot' gravity of the die, and the polygonal stoprim at the lower end of said body, substantially as described.

2. In a spinning-die, the combination, with the top-body having a series of die-facets adapted to receive characters, of a circular running-rim above said facets and concentric to the axis of rotation of the die, substantially as described.

3. In a spinning-die, the combination, with the top-body and the stem-point, of the running-rim above the center of gravity of the die, and having the die-facets depending below the said body to form a polygonal stoprim, substantially as described.

PETER J. KILLEEN, JR. PATRICK H. BIRMINGHAM.

fitnessesz FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, HENRY L. RECKARD. 

